Wafer storage box

ABSTRACT

A storage box for storing a wafer is provided. The wafer storage box includes a main body having a receiving portion having a bottom surface, a plurality of protruding portions formed on the bottom surface for strengthening the main body, a plurality of anti-shock members disposed on the bottom surface, and a cover connected to the main body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wafer storage box, and moreparticularly to a wafer storage box for preventing the wafer from beingdamaged.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many different processes involved in the fabrication forsemiconductors. In the transformation between processes, it isinevitable to store and carry the wafers. At this time, the waferstorage box is used for storing the wafers.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of the waferstorage box according to the prior art. The wafer storage box 11 is aplastic box and used for storing a plurality of wafers 12. The amount ofwafers 12 stored is dependent on the capacity of the wafer storage box11. In the wafer storage box 11, the wafers 12 are spaced out from eachother merely with a cotton pad 13. In this way, the quality of thewafers 12 will be affected due to the electrostatic force induced fromthe friction between the wafer surface and the cotton pad 13. Moreover,the wafers 12 will be easily damaged because of incautious collision inconveying. Insidiously, many wafers 12 are wasted, and thus thefabrication cost is enhanced.

From the above description, it is known that how to develop a waferstorage box for reducing the wafer damage so as to save the fabricationcost has become a major problem waited to be solved. In order toovercome the drawbacks in the prior art, an improved wafer storage boxis provided. The particular design in the present invention not onlysolves the problems described above, but also is easy to be implemented.Thus, the invention has the utility for the industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a wafer storagebox is provided. The wafer storage box can prevent the wafer from beingdamaged by the external collision force during the conveying process.Therefore, the wafer damage can be efficiently reduced and thefabrication cost can be saved.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a waferstorage box is provided. The wafer storage box can be applied to all ofthe semiconductor fabrication processes. That is, both the half-finishedwafer and the finished one can be stored in the wafer storage box of thepresent invention.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a storagebox for storing a wafer is provided. The storage box includes a mainbody having a receiving portion having a bottom surface, a plurality ofprotruding portions formed on the bottom surface for strengthening themain body, a plurality of anti-shock members disposed on the bottomsurface, and a cover connected to the main body.

Preferably, the wafer has a frame disposed at a periphery thereof forfixing the wafer.

Preferably, the wafer has a protective membrane adhered to an uppersurface thereof.

Preferably, the protective membrane is an adhesive membrane.

Preferably, the wafer is wrapped in an anti-electrostatic bag, and thenplaced on the protruding portions and the anti-shock members.

Preferably, the main body has a plurality of openings for passingtherethrough a user's fingers and for reducing the weight of the storagebox.

Preferably, each opening is disposed at a corner of the main body.

Preferably, the main body further has at least one recess.

Preferably, the main body is made of the transparent material.

Preferably, the protruding portions are ribs.

Preferably, the anti-shock members are shock-absorbing pads.

Preferably, the cover is made of the transparent material.

Preferably, the storage box further includes a bar code disposed on thecover for identifying the wafer.

Preferably, the storage box further includes a chip disposed on thecover for identifying the wafer.

Preferably, the storage box further includes a magnetic card disposed onthe cover for identifying the wafer.

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will becomemore readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art afterreviewing the following detailed descriptions and accompanying drawings,in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the wafer storage box according tothe prior art;

FIG. 2(a) is a schematic diagram showing the wafer storage box accordingto a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2(b) and 2(c) are diagrams showing different processes for storingthe wafer via the wafer storage box shown in FIG. 2(a); and

FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c) are diagrams illustrating various ways of identifyingthe wafer storage box according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will now be described more specifically withreference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that thefollowing descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention arepresented herein for the purposes of illustration and description only;it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise formdisclosed.

Please refer to FIG. 2(a), which shows a schematic diagram of the waferstorage box according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. The wafer storage box includes a main body 21 and a cover 26,wherein the cover 26 is connected to the main body 21. The main body 21includes a receiving portion 22 having a bottom surface. A plurality ofcircular ribs 23 are formed on the bottom surface of the receivingportion 22 for strengthening the main body 21. Moreover, a plurality ofshock-absorbing pads 24 are disposed on the bottom surface of thereceiving portion 22 for preventing the wafer from being damaged by theexternal collision force during the conveying process. Therefore, thewafer damage can be efficiently reduced and the fabrication cost can besaved.

Four openings 25 are disposed at four corners of the main body 21 forpassing therethrough the user's fingers and for reducing the weight ofthe wafer storage box. In addition, the main body 21 further includestwo recesses 27 for the user to easily take out the wafer storage boxfrom a storage cabinet for storing wafer storage boxes (not shown).

Please refer to FIGS. 2(b) and 2(c), which show different processes forstoring the wafer via the wafer storage box shown in FIG. 2(a). Beforethe wafer 28 being placed into the wafer storage box, a frame 29 has tobe disposed at the periphery of the wafer 28 for fixing it. Next, anadhesive membrane 210 is adhered to the upper surface of the wafer 28.After that, the wafer 28 is wrapped in an anti-electrostatic bag 211 andthen placed on the circular ribs 23 and the shock-absorbing pads 24, asshown in FIG. 2(c). Finally, the cover 26 is covered on the main body21, and then the wafer 28 can be conveyed.

The main body 21 and the cover 26 of the present invention are both madeof the transparent material. Hence, the user knows whether the wafer 28is stored inside the wafer storage box without the need to open thecover 26. Furthermore, different sizes of wafers (such as 12 or 8inches) can be stored in the wafer storage box of the present invention,merely by modifying the size of the wafer storage box. Additionally, thewafer storage box of the present invention further includes a bar code31 disposed on the cover 26. A scanner (not shown) is used for scanningthe bar code 31 so as to identify the wafer 28, as shown in FIG. 3(a).Certainly, the way of employing the scanner to scan the bar code 31 canbe altered. For one example, a chip reading device (not shown) can beused for reading the chip 32 disposed on the cover 26 so as to identifythe wafer 28, as shown in FIG. 3(b). For another example, a magneticcard reading device (not shown) can be used for reading the magneticcard 33 disposed on the cover 26 so as to identify the wafer 28, asshown in FIG. 3(c).

In conclusion, the wafer storage box of the present invention canprevent the wafer from being damaged by the external collision forceduring the transportation process. Therefore, the wafer damage can beefficiently reduced and the fabrication cost can be saved. Moreover, thewafer storage box of the present invention can be applied to all of thesemiconductor fabrication processes. That is, both the half-finishedwafer and the finished one can be stored in the wafer storage box of thepresent invention. Accordingly, the present invention can effectivelysolve the problems and drawbacks in the prior art, and thus it fits thedemand of the industry and is industrially valuable.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presentlyconsidered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is tobe understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosedembodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similarstructures.

1. A storage box for storing a wafer, comprising: a main body having areceiving portion having a bottom surface; a plurality of protrudingportions formed on said bottom surface for strengthening said main body;a plurality of anti-shock members disposed on said bottom surface; and acover connected to said main body.
 2. The storage box as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said wafer has a frame disposed at a periphery thereoffor fixing said wafer.
 3. The storage box as claimed in claim 2, whereinsaid wafer has a protective membrane adhered to an upper surfacethereof.
 4. The storage box as claimed in claim 3, wherein saidprotective membrane is an adhesive membrane.
 5. The storage box asclaimed in claim 4, wherein said wafer is wrapped in ananti-electrostatic bag, and then placed on said protruding portions andsaid anti-shock members.
 6. The storage box as claimed in claim 1,wherein said main body comprises a plurality of openings for passingtherethrough a user's fingers and for reducing a weight of said storagebox.
 7. The storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said openingis disposed at a corner of said main body.
 8. The storage box as claimedin claim 1, wherein said main body further comprises at least onerecess.
 9. The storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main bodyis made of a transparent material.
 10. The storage box as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said protruding portions are ribs.
 11. The storage boxas claimed in claim 1, wherein said anti-shock members areshock-absorbing pads.
 12. The storage box as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid cover is made of a transparent material.
 13. The storage box asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a bar code disposed on said coverfor identifying said wafer.
 14. The storage box as claimed in claim 1,further comprising a chip disposed on said cover for identifying saidwafer.
 15. The storage box as claimed in claim 1, further comprising amagnetic card disposed on said cover for identifying said wafer.